In many operations involving the manufacture of pneumatic tires, following fabrication and vulcanization, the tire is placed on a chuck assembly so that various inspection and grinding operations can be performed. Generally, for example, in a tire uniformity machine, tires are advanced along a conveyor into the uniformity inspection machine whereupon a first chuck is raised to engage the bead area of the tire following which the tire is elevated so that the opposed bead is engaged by a second chuck. The tire is then inflated and various inspections are conducted. The tire is then deflated, the lower chuck is retracted, and the tire is removed from the chuck and removed from the machine so that another tire may be tested.
In such a system and in other areas where tires are mounted on chucks for further manufacturing, inspection, or grinding operations, it is desirable to lubricate the bead area along its seating surface so as to achieve a complete airtight seal with the mating surfaces of the chuck or, for that matter, the wheel of an automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,294 assigned to Akron Special Machinery, Inc., shows an existing lubricating system having a vertically-oriented roller that is mounted beneath a conveyor and housed in a container filled with lubricating fluid to coat the applicator roll. As a tire moves into a position above the lubricating roll, it is extended upward along its axis to enter the bore defined by the tire. The tire is driven on the conveyor, causing it to contact the roller and rotate about the roller to apply lubricant to the beads. Since contact between the applicator and the beads relies on the conveyor driving the tire into contact with the applicator, the applicator is stressed by the impact with the tire. Oftentimes, the tire will impact the roller multiple times until achieving the proper position. Therefore, it is believed desirable to provide a tire lubrication system having an improved applicator assembly.